Textile finishing apparatus



July 15, 1958 c, ALLEN ET AL 2,842,828

TEXTILE FINISHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HERMAN C.ALLEN BYWILLIAM W. RUSSELL July 15, 195

Filed Feb. 25, 1955 H. C. ALLEN ET AL TEXTILE FINISHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HERMAN C. ALL BYWILLIAM W. RUSS United States Patent TEXTILE FINISHING APPARATUS Herman C. Allen, Saylesville, and William W. Russell, East Providence, R. 1., assignors to fiayles Finishing Plants, Ind, Saylesville, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 23, 1955, Serial No. 490,076

Claims. c1. 26-185) This invention relates to apparatus for shrinking and crimping fabric and pertains more specifically to apparatus for applying a shrinking agent to spaced localized zones of a fabric and for mechanically crimping the fabric either prior to or during the shrinking operation to control the shrinking and to provide a fabric having undulations and cockles arranged in a regular predetermined pattern.

One object of the invention is to provide means for continuously crimping fabric as it advances, together with means for adjusting crimping pressure upon the fabric.

Another object is to provide apparatus for applying shrinking agent to spaced localized zones of a fabric and subsequently mechanically crimping the fabric to control the effect of the shrinking agent.

A further object is to provide apparatus for shrinking and crimping fabric in a continuous operation as it advances therethrough including means for adjusting the pressure and tension on the fabric while it is being crimped and means for receiving the crimped fabric and continuing to advance it while in a slack condition to permit the desired shrinkage to take place.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the drawings and from the description which follows.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a schematic plan view showing the general assembly of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view in side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the crimping teeth on the surface of one of the crimping rolls; and

Fig. 4 is an isometric view, partly broken away and in section, showing the means for adjusting the pressure between the crimping rolls.

As shown in 'Fig. 1, the apparatus includes a pair of rubber covered rolls 10, 12 through the nip of which fabric 14 is advanced toward the right, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, from a suitable supply roll (not shown). Lower roll 1'2 is immersed in a water bath 16 and is driven by a chain-and-sprocket drive 18 from main drive motor 20. Roll simply rests upon roll 12 and may be weigh-ted if desired so as to provide a friction drive for the fabric 14. In addition to advancing the fabric, rolls 10, 12 serve also to dampen it and make it more readily receptive to the shrinking agent which is next applied.

The shrinking agent is applied by a print roll 22 which, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, has a number of circumferential grooves 24 engraved in its face. The shrinking agent is contained in a supply tank 26 and may be any conventional shrinking agent, of which many are known. In the case of cellulose fabric, the shrinking agent is preferably a strongly alkaline substance such as potassium, lithium, or sodium hydroxide, preferably the last named, in an aqueous medium. Starch may be added as a thickener to the aqueous alkaline shrinking agent in order to provide a printing paste of the desired viscosity, as is well known. The paste is Patented July 15, 1958 transferred from tank 26 to print roll 22 by means of a 5 the shrinking agent is applied in the form of spaced parallel stripes to the fabric 14 as it passes between print roll 22 and driven rubber coated backing roll 32. Backing roll 32 is driven by chain-and-sprocket drive 34 from the shaft of main drive motor 20, and pickup roll 28 is in turn driven by chain-and-sprocket drive 36 from the shaft of backing roll 32. .Print roll 22 is driven by frictional contact with fabric 14 which is squeezed between print roll 22 and backing roll 32 as it advances. A second doctor blade 38 may be provided to remove from backing roll 32 any shrinking agent which has penetrated through the fabric 14. A water spray 40 and an idler squeeze roll 42 may likewise be provided to ensure a clean surface on backing roll 32, the wash water being caught in drip tray 44. As the fabric leaves print roll 22, it passes around idlers 46, 48 and directly through the nip of two opposed counter-rotating crimp rolls 50, 52 which are mounted axially parallel to each other and are provided with a plurality of spaced ribs 54 (Fig. 4) on their peripheral faces, these ribs in the embodiment shown in the drawing being straight and parallel to each other and extending generally longitudinally of the rolls parallel to the axis of each roll. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the ribs may be of a variety of shapes and sizes depending upon the particular effect desired, but it is essential that they intermesh or interengage with each other in order to produce the desired crimping of the fabric as it passes between them. Roll 50 is driven by means of chain-and-sprocket drive 56 from a variable speed drive unit 58 which in turn is driven by chain-and-sprocket drive 60 from the shaft of backing roll 32. Interengaged gears 62, 64 are keyed to the shafts of rolls 50, 52 to ensure that they rotate in opposite directions and at equal peripheral speeds. Since the speed of rotation of rolls 50, 52 may be varied with respect to the speed of backing roll 32 by means of speed control 58, tension on the fabric between backing roll 32 and crimp rolls 5!), 52 may be varied as desired. This is an important feature since the tension required on the fabric may vary depending upon the particular fabric employed as well as upon the nature of the shrinking agent and the particular results desired.

As the fabric leaves crimping rolls 50, 52, it passes around idlers 66, 68 and over pulling drum 70 which is driven by means of chain-'and-sprocket drive 72 from variable speed drive unit 74 which in turn is powered by a conventional V-belt drive 76 from main drive motor 20. Variable speed drive unit 74 makes it possible to control the tension on the advancing fabric between crimp rolls 59,52 and pulling drum 70 by varying the speed of the latter. The fabric leaving pulling drum 70 falls by gravity on the surface of endless stainless steel chain belt conveyor 80 which passes around pulleys 82, 84. The conveyor is driven through pulley 82 from chainand-sprocket drive 86 and variable speed drive unit 88 which is in turn driven by a conventional belt drive 90 from main drive motor 20.

As the fabric leaves conveyor 80, it drops by gravity into a tank of wash water 92 which serves to remove excess shrinkage agent from the fabric. If desired, additional washing units may be provided to ensure complete removal of the shrinking agent, followed by conventional drying drums.

The crimp rolls, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, are mounted at each end for movement toward and away from each other. The shaft of roll 50 is journaled in a pillow block bearing unit secured to bearing block 102 which is mounted for sliding movement on slide member 104 secured to support member 106 which in turn is bolted to base plate 108. The shaft of roll 52 is journaled in a similar pillow block bearing 110 (indicatedby the dottedrectangle in Fig. 4:) secured tobearing block 112-whichin turn is secured, as by welding or-bolting, to base plate 108.

Means for yieldingly urging crimp rolls 50, 52 toward each other is. provided by a compression coil spring 114 whichseats at one end on bracket 116 secured to bearing block 102- and at the other end upon a seat member 118 secured to the end of screw member .120 which is threaded through a tapped opening in a flange 122 secured to the end of support member 106. A hand Wheel 124 may be provided for manipulating screw member 120, and wing nut 126 which is threaded on screw member 120 serves as a lock nut to lock the screw member in any desired position. Carrier member 130 supported by spacer members 132', 134 secured to bracket 116 is engaged by seat member 118 when it is retracted by turning hand wheel 124 and thus serves to withdraw bearing block 102 and hence roll 50 from roll 52 as the pressure of spring 114 is released.

In order to limit the movement of rolls 50, 52 toward each other, thus avoiding the possibility of the fabric becoming cut, crushed, or torn as it passes through the nip of the rolls, an adjustable stop is provided by means of bolt 140 threaded through flange 142 which is secured to fixed bearing block 112 by means of bolt 144, the end of bolt 140 abutting against the end of movable bearing block 102. to lock the adjustable stop 140 in any desired position. The mounting is identical at both ends of rolls 50, 52, each end being adjustable independently of the other.

As best shown in Fig. 3, ribs 54 preferably are of generally trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration, the top of each rib being a narrow flat 150 to eliminate the danger of cutting the fabric. In the embodiment shown, the angle between the faces of two adjoining ribs is approximately 60, which has been found to give optimum results. It is essential in order to achieve satisfactory results that the spaces between adjacent crimps imparted to the fabric, i. e., the width W of the sloping face of each rib, be from A to times the width of the space between adjacent stripes of shrinking agent applied to the fabric, i. e., the space between adjacent grooves 24 on print roll 22. For example, excellent results have been obtained using a print roll having grooves A; inch wide spaced 7 inch apart together with intermeshed crimping rolls having ribs in which the width W is approximately 0.165 inch. The crimp rolls employed had an outer diameter of approximately 4.67 inches (measured to crest of the ribs) and contained a total of 80 ribs on its periphery.

In operation, the fabric is first advanced between dampening rolls 10, 12 which serve both to moisten the fabric I with water and to advance it, thence between print roll 22 and backingroll 32 which serve both to advance the fabric and to apply the shrinking agent in the form of spaced parallel warpwise extending stripes. After leaving the print roll, the printed fabric advances between crimp rolls 50, 52, the speed of rotation of the crimp rolls being adjusted so that the reach of fabric between the print roll and the crimp rolls is maintained under controlled tension. The crimp rolls are adjusted so that a space slightly greater than the gauge of the fabric is left between the intermeshing ribs 54, handwheel 124- being rotated so as to compress spring 114' and yielclingly urge roll 50 against roll 52 under the desired pressure, adjustable stop 140 being set to maintain the desired minimum clearance between rolls 50 and 52. The speed of rotation of pulling drum 70 is adjusted by means of variable speed drive 74 to place the reach of fabric between crimprolls '50, 52' and drum 70 under very slight tension. The speeds of print roll 22, crimp rolls 50, 52, and pulling drum 70 are adjusted so that the fabric Lock nut 146 may be provided is under only slight to moderate tension throughout its passage through this portion of the apparatus. The speed of conveyor 80 is adjusted by means of variable speed drive 88 to be substantially less than that of pulling drum so that the fabric is maintained upon advancing conveyor in a slack condition to aid the shrinking agent in performing the shrinking operation. From the discharge end of conveyor 80 the fabric passes still in a slack condition into washing tank 92 which serves to remove excess shrinking agent, following which the fabric may be further washed and dried in any conventional manner. The finished fabric is characterized by warpwise extending cockled stripes,.the crinkles and cockles of which are perfectly uniform and are all of the same size, shape, and spacing, coinciding closely with the mechanical deformations of crimps which are applied by crimping rolls 50, 52.

This application is a continuation in part of our copending application S. N. 412,371, filed February 24, 1954.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for shrinking and crimping fabric in a continuous operation as it advances therethrough comprising a print roll for printing a shrinking agent in spaced localized zones on said advancing fabric, a pair of opposing counter-rotating crimp rolls mounted for movement toward and away from each other having intermeshing ribs on their faces for receiving said printed fabric and crimping it therebetween, means for positively driving said crimp rolls in opposite directions to advance said fabric, means for yieldingly urging said crimp rolls toward each other, conveyor means for receiving said fabric from said crimp rolls and advancing it in slack condition to permit said shrinking agent to shrink said fabric in said spaced zones and to cause the remaining unshrunken areas of the fabric to develop cockles along the lines of crimp, and means for receiving said shrunken fabric from said conveyor means and for removing the shrinking agent therefrom while continuing to advance said fabric.

2. Apparatus for shrinking and crimping fabric in a continuous operation as it advances therethrough comprising a backing roll and an opposing print roll for priting a shrinking agent in spaced localized zones on said advancing fabric, a pair of opposing counter-rotating crimp rolls mounted for movement toward and away from each other having intermeshing ribs on their faces for receiving said printed fabric and crimping it therebetween, means for yieldingly urging said crimp rolls toward each other, means for driving said backing roll and said crimping rolls at speeds to maintain a controlled tension on the fabric as it advances from one to the other, endless conveyor means for receiving said fabric from said crimp rolls, and means for driving said conveyor at a slower speed than said crimp rolls whereby the fabric is in a slack condition and free to shrink in said spaced zones and to develop cockles in the remaining unshrunken zones along the lines of crimp while it is carried by said conveyor means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including means for transferring the fabric from the crimp rolls to the conveyor comprising a drum mounted for rotation above the end of the conveyor means adjacent the crimp rolls for supporting a reach of the fabric passing over the drum, and means for driving said drum at a speed to maintain only slight tension on the fabric between the crimp rolls and drum and to deposit the fabric by gravity upon said endless conveyor means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the printing roll is, provided with spacedcircumferential groovesv for applying the shrinking agent in spaced parallel stripes to the fabric and in which the ribs on each said crimp roll are of generally trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration extending parallel to the axis of each roll and the width of the sloping face of each said rib is from A to 5 times the spacing between adjacent grooves on said print roll.

5. Apparatus for shrinking and crimping fabric in a continuous operation as it advances therethrough comprising means for applying a shrinking agent to spaced parallel stripes of the advancing fabric, means for crimp- I ing said advancing fabric with the lines of crimp extending transversely to said stripes, conveyor means for receiving said fabric from said crimping means and advancing it in slack condition to permit said shrinking agent to shrink said fabric in said spaced stripes and to develop cockles along the lines of crimp in the remaining unshrunken areas, and means for receiving said shrunken fabric from said conveyor means and for removing the shrinking agent therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,944,001 Cluett Jan. 16, 1934 2,090,669 Dreyfus et al Oct. 24, 1937 2,319,903 Huey et a1 May 25, 1943 2,348,182 Slayter May 2, 1944 2,627,644 Foster Feb. 10, 1953 2,669,001 Keen Feb. 16, 1954 

